Drip pan for automatic dishwashing machines and similar appliances



July 9, 1963 J. ROIDT DRIP PAN FOR AUTOMATIC DISHWASHING MACHINES AND SIMILAR APPLIANCES Filed Oct. 10, 1960 VIII/4 JOSEPH L. ROIDT INVEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,096,7 81 DRIP PAN FOR AUTOMATIC DISHWASHING MACHINES AND SIMILAR APPLIANCES Joseph L. Roidt, 2126 SE. Umatilla, Portland, Oreg. Filed Oct. 10, 1960, Ser. No. 61,754 1 Claim. (Cl. 137-314) This invention relates to improvements in drip pans adapted, though not restrictively so, for use with modern built-in automatic dishwashing machines usually installed within a counter-space .adjacent a kitchen wall.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a drip pan of the character described which is simple, durable and effective in trapping water resulting from condensation caused through differential temperatures between the water within the machine and surrounding atmospheric conditions.

In actual practice two types of automatic dishwashers are now in general use, one of which is installed as above pointed out, and the other is mounted upon floor-engaging caster wheels for convenience in moving the dishwasher to points of use or storage The built-in type is provided with a drawer mounted upon rollers within a cabinet permanently installed under the counter in such a manner that the flooring beneath the cabinet is entirely hidden from view and as a consequence thereof any water condensate or leakage from the machine dripping on the floor would be unnoticed until the floor covering, such as linoleum or the like, adjacent the front of the counter in the area of the machine star-ts to buckle in an unsightly manner. Water .thus accumulated would in time cause considerable damage to the linoleum and to the wooden flooring.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drip pan attachable to the bottom of the dishwasher cabinet and to the flooring beneath it by means projecting from the bottom of the washer, and .also means disposed between the said bottom and the bottom of the pan which will deflect the bottom wall thereof toward what might be termed a sump area for complete drainage and also to provide a small ventilating air space between the bottom of the washer and the rim of the pan.

A further object is to provide drainage means from the sump area to the exterior of the building.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof and in which:

FIGURE 1 is .a perspective view of a drip pan made in accordance with my invention and with a fragment of one of the elements thereof broken away for convenience of illustration.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional side elevational view taken along the line 22 of FIGURE 1 for convenience of illustrating the manner in which the drip pan is secured to the bottom of the dishwasher and to the floor beneath it.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing a modified form of the invention and,

FIGURE 4 is a sectional detail view taken approximately along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

With continuing reference to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts reference numeral 1 indicates the conventional room flooring to which is secured the front wall 2 of a counter (not shown) spaced outwardly from the building wall 3. Supported upon the floor within the counter space is the drip pan of my invention, indicated generally at 4, having a bottom wall 5, front and rear walls 6 and 7, and side walls 8 and 9. Each corner of the bottom wall 5 is provided with a foot 10 which supports the bottom of the drip pan in a slightly elevated position relative to the floor as indicated at v11. The bot-tom of the drip pan is provided with a drainage opening 12 and also with openings to receive lag screws 12A which extend through collars 13 secured to the drip pan to effectively seal the screw-holes against leakage.

The heads 14 of the screws 12A bear against the bottom wall 15 of the dishwasher cabinet 16 which is supported upon legs 17 at, or near the bottom corners there of. The legs 17 rest upon the bottom wall of the drip pan directly above the feet 10 so that no deflection will occur in the wall at these points. Secured to the underside .of the bottom Wall 5 and surrounding the drainage hole 12 is an internally threaded collar 20 attached to one threaded end of a drain pipe 21 whose opposite end is frictionally engaged with the interior of one end of the drainage extension 22 which may be made of flexible tubing, or the like, extending to the exterior of the building or to some other drainage facility within the building.

Attached to the bottom wall 5 in any suitable manner in spaced relation to each other and to the drainage opening 12 are two blocks 25 and 26 of slightly greater height than that of the side walls 8 of the drip pan. The weight of the dishwashing machine at these points resting upon the blocks 25-26 will deflect the bottom wall 5 downwardly, as shown, in the area of the blocks to provide a sump to insure complete drainage of any water gravitating from the machine into the drip pan.

In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG- URE 3 I dispense with the feet 10 so that the entire bottom wall 5A will rest upon the floor. The blocks 25 and 26 are also dispensed with so that the entire weight of the dishwashing machine will be imposed upon the bottom wall 5A at the four corners of the drip pan 4A by the legs 17 of the machine.

The drainage opening .12 has also been dispensed with and instead I provide a drainage opening 12B preferably in the rear wall 7A of the drip pan near one corner thereof. Secured to the exterior of the wall 7A and surrounding the opening 12B is an internal threaded collar 20A to which is attached the threaded end of a drain pipe 21A whose opposite end is adapted to discharge drainage to the exterior of the building.

While I have shown particular forms of embodiment of my invention, I am aware that many minor changes therein will readily suggest themselves to others skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Having thus described my invention what I claim as new :and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

For use with an automatic dishwashing machine and similar appliances supported upon four corner leg members; a drip pan supported upon a foot at each corner and comprising a flat flexible bottom wall, and vertical front, rear and side walls consisting of an integral sheet of metal, said bottom wall having openings therethrough in open communication with collars secured to the bottom wall and extending upwardly therefrom, fastening elements extending through said collars and openings and adapted to anchor said machine to a floor beneath the drip pan with .the machine sup-ported upon said bottom wall by its four corner leg members, said bottom wall 5 having a dnainage opening therethrough, means supported upon said bottom wall adjacent said drainage opening and adapted to partake of the weight of said machine to thereby defleot said bottom wall into a sump area leading to the drainage opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Clark May 18, Roberts Apr. 14, Bas'se Feb. 11, Malone Aug. 9, Bodan Sept. 14, Buczk-owski Aug. 16, 

